Bringing excesses in Govt to an end

After a lifetime of observation and reflection, we find that our dreams for meaningful change remain dreams, and ascension to office by various political parties (with the possible exception of the National Alliance for Reconstruction) simply provided opportunities for a privileged elite and their cronies to “live off the fat of the land.” The trusting population of TT is expected to condone without murmur incidents of conspicuous consumption that involve unnecessary foreign trips, visits to ancestral villages, purchases of luxury vehicles subsidised by taxpayers, and embarking on expensive and unnecessary retreats to very exclusive venues.

Loopholes that provide for personal assistants and advisers are quickly filled by party hacks and relatives, some of them then proceeding to display their ineptitude in every way.

In TT , the views of the ordinary people are often contemptuously ignored as the elites of the State and their followers seize every opportunity to access any perks that can be even remotely connected to these officials’ positions and activities. I strongly resent this tendency to treat the population as mindless fools.

Was it necessary to have a dozen employees attend a prize-giving ceremony in Tobago? Was it necessary to hire four vehicles, or was it the responsibility of the Tobago House of Assembly to supply transportation? What adjustments were made to reduce cost as mandated by the Prime Minister? Furthermore, the argument by the Minister of Sport that because Caribbean Airlines and Magdalena Hotel are government-owned entities and therefore whatever money spent remained in government coffers is so flawed that I wonder at his competence to be a government minister.

He should realise that not all the money spent will go into the State’s coffers because a substantial amount would be costs incurred as a consequence of taking this inflated group to Tobago, and furthermore the taxis are not owned by the State.

I am of the view that critical thinkers in TT should come together to challenge these spurious excuses. Only then we can bring these excesses to an end.

I also believe that travel for meetings can be greatly reduced by using technologies such as Skype and video conferencing.

Furthermore, the various permanent secretaries and CEOs should be more vigilant in curbing wastage of taxpayers’ money.

DAVID SUBRAN via email